


Tulips in July

by StillKickingIt



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eventual Romance, F/M, Horcruxes, James Potter Lives, Lily Evans Potter Lives, M/M, No Bashing, Teen Romance, Tom Riddle's Diary, Tragedy, Twins-Who-Lived
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-23 03:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 20,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10711683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StillKickingIt/pseuds/StillKickingIt
Summary: Harry is the other twin. His brother, Jimmy is considered to be the chosen one. Years of resentment build as Harry finds a diary that tells him that he should hate his family for what they did to him





	1. Chapter 1

It was a very cold night on October 31st. Privet Drive was silent.

A man appeared on the corner of the street, almost popping out of thin air. He was a very tall man. He had purple robes and had a long beard that came done past his belt. His hair was also quite long and almost pure white. If Petunia Dursley had seen him she would have passed out at the sight of him. She had

Albus Dumbledore looked quite pleased with himself. He looked down at the other end of the street, his eyes catching on a very prim looking tabby cat. He let out a chuckle that made the bells on his beard tinkle. He was an old man maybe the oldest man the street had ever seen. He walked down slowly the dimly lit street. When he finally came to a stop outside of number four he looked at the cat with a bemused little smile. "Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."

The tabby leapt from the wall. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."

"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.

"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."

Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.

"Oh yes, I've celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no -- even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news."

She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent -- I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."

"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."

"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."

She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"

"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"

 

"A what?"

 

"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."

 

"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone--"

 

"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense -- for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort." Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."

 

"I know you haven't, said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."

 

"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."

 

"Only because you're too -- well -- noble to use them."

 

"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."

 

Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what they're saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"

 

It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.

 

"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are -- are -- that they're -- dead."

 

In that moment Albus shook his head. McGonagall frowned. “I’ve heard them say it again and again. What really happened?”

Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "Lily and James had been over at Sirius Black’s flat when Voldemort came. It seems that their friend Peter Pettigrew died while watching the boys.”

"It's -- it's true ?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill two little boys? It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Jimmy survive?"

 

"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."

 

"And what of the other boy?" said Professor McGonagall. "Why are you here if the Potter’s survived?"

 

"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. I have convinced Lily and James that for Harry’s own safety he should be away from the family, just until Hogwarts." Albus explained.

 

"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore -- you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. Harry should be with his own family Albus, the poor boy won’t survive if he’s left here!"

 

"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."

 

"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! I don’t know if its even safe for a boy like us to live here!"

 

"It must be done." said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "I believe that the Dark Lord is not truly gone. I have asked to begin lessons with Jimmy the second he shows any sign of accidental magic."

 

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes -- yes, you're right, of course. But what of Harry, Dumbledore?" She eyed him with suspicion.

 

"He will be safe within these walls. Lily has cast blood magic so that he would be hidden from any who wished harm unto him." Albus looked down at his wrist watch, “Hagrid should be bringing him.”

 

"You think it -- wise -- to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?" McGonagall asked.

 

"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.

 

"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to -- what was that?"

 

A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky -- and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.

 

If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild -- long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.

 

"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

 

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."

 

"No problems, were there?"

 

"No, sir, James and Lily just wanted to say good bye. They were heartbroken sir. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."

 

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. He had dark hair and very pale skin

 

"Will he really be safe here?" whispered Professor McGonagall.

 

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll be much safer here than he ever would be with Lily and James. And besides, He would grow jealous of Jimmy. I believe that he will be modest and kind here. He won’t make a fuss."

 

Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.

 

"Could I -- could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.

"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "You'll wake the Muggles!"

 

"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it --poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles--"

 

"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.

 

"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."

 

"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall -- Professor Dumbledore, sir."

 

Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night. And with that he zoomed into the sky. Both McGonagall and Dumbledore looked at the sky as the Motorcycle rocketed away.

 

"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.

 

Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. He knew that this existence may not be pleasant for the boy but he had a duty. A duty to all of those souls he looked after in the large world and Harry Potter may have to suffer because of this. He took no joy in the boy’s pain but sometimes things must be done for the greater good.

 

"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.

 

  * ▬▬▬▬๑۩۩๑▬▬▬▬▬●



 

Harry Potter lived an interesting existence.

Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. Petunia had gotten meaner, Dudley had gotten bigger and Vernon had gotten fatter.

Yet Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.  
  
"Up! Get up! Now! Freak!"  
  
Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again.  
  
"Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. He had been trying to remember what had happened but he couldn’t quite see it.

His aunt was back outside the door.  
  
"Are you up yet?" she demanded.  
  
"Nearly," said Harry.  
  
"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."  
  
Harry groaned.  
  
"What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door.  
  
"Nothing, nothing..." He knew that if he had said anything he would have been smacked, or worse Vernon would come. He walked slowly into the kitchen making sure he didn’t do anything wrong. When Uncle Vernon heard him complain in any way, he always got the belt out. He told Harry that he didn’t think any good children would be complaining about how easy a life he’d been given.  
  
Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon. He looked like a balloon that was ready to pop. Harry tried to meekly stay out of his way but Vernon still bumped into him. Grease hit his hands and he tried to make his scream into a whimper.  
  
"Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting. Bumping into Harry as he walked past. Harry knew that Vernon was in a good mood today. He hadn’t even hit Harry yet. It was a good sign  
  
About once a week, Vernon would attack Harry for whatever reason he felt like on that day. He didn’t really care but he had known that questioning it wasn’t a good idea.

  
Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley was just as bad as his father. He took great pleasure in trying to hurt Harry. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley was just exercising but Harry didn’t really share that sentiment.  
  
Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. He then tried not to cry as Vernon spilled piping hot coffee onto his arm. He let out a little whine as Dudley complained about his presents. Vernon gave him a dangerous look that Harry knew wasn’t a good sign.  
  
"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."  
  
"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy."  
  
"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. Harry wanted to punch that stupid face so badly but knew that would end very badly for him.  Harry watched as his aunt and uncle did their best to calm the fat slob down. Harry looked at his own plate with just eggs and the smallest piece of bacon on it. He grinded his teeth on it.  
  
At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry got multiple gifts thrown at him by Dudley while Vernon continued to laugh. When Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.  
  
"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction.

Harry was finally delegated to be put in the trunk of Vernon’s new car.

Harry tried to get out of it. Telling them he’d be good, asking for him to just be left in his cupboard but it was to no end. He couldn’t persuade his Uncle to stop it. He dragged Harry out by his colar and threw him into the trunk. As they loaded him in he tried not to cry. It was already so hot within the care but he didn’t want to say anything that would upset Uncle Vernon any further.

Vernon tossed him a water bottle with a nasty grin. “Now don’t make any noise boy. We’ll be back in a couple hours.”

With that he slammed the trunk shut and left. Harry was in complete darkness and the air was already quite stuffy. He had tried to control his breathing so that he didn’t panic. He could feel the heat rising and he was in a lot of distress.

_It’s just a car, it’s just a car, It’s just a car…._

He tried to think of other things but continued to feel his temperature rising. Before long he knew that he had to get out. It had only been an hour and the water was gone and he felt like he couldn’t breath. He closed his eyes and then he felt better. When he opened his eyes he seemed to be on the top of the car. He looked around and tried to see who let him out.

He was shocked to find that no one was there. He began to feel that sinking feeling. If the Dursely’s saw that he had somehow escaped he would be in for a beating. As he waited for them to return he felt sicker and sicker.  
  
As Vernon approached he saw Harry and had a look of horror. Petunia let out a little shriek and Dudley started to cry talking about how he ruined his birthday.  Harry sat up and tried not to make any noise; Vernon was in shock. Harry tried to explain but he got a slap.  
  
"But the trunk," he kept saying, "How did you get out?"  
  
As they made their way home Harry knew that he was in for it. The care was silent. Even Dudley and his friend didn’t make any noise. Vernon seemed to be a shade of purple Harry had only seen as the colour for Petunia’s dress.  
Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He grabbed harry by his shoulder and threw him against the stove. He turned on the gas and Harry watched in horror as the flames lit and Vernon took a hold of his arm. He had a wild look in his eye.

“ _Remember the next time you do something freaky, that this will happen...”_ Vernon said in a very low voice. That was seconds before he plunged Harry’s arm into the flame. Harry let out a high pitched shriek. The pain was white hot and he was cry for his uncle to stop it he held his arm there for at least thirty seconds but it felt like a lot longer. He let him off and then sat.

“Go to the cupboard, you wont come out till the summer is over.” Vernon said lazily. Harry gripped his burnt arm as he walked out of the room.

Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, arm still stinging. Harry had cried into his pillow for as long as he had tears. He finally felt himself calming down to the degree that he didn’t have to shove his face into a pillow in fear that he would sob to loudly. He didn’t know how much time had passed but he was unsure of what really was happening. He waited trying not to breath, listening.

  *   
  
▬▬▬▬๑۩۩๑▬▬▬▬▬●



 

After he had escaped from the car Harry had his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holiday had already begun. Harry had missed all of school because of it. He had been told that he had a flu that didn’t go away. He had been told by Aunt Petunia that he would be in a remedial class at his new school Stonewall Academy as to catch him up because he was such a slow learner. Vernon had called him ‘one of those mentals’.

Harry had to work hard not to react to that. He wanted to yell at him for making him feel like an idiot. He wanted to say that it wasn’t his fault because he was supposed to go to school but they kept him locked in a closet. Harry wanted to throttle his Uncle sometimes. Then he would remember exactly what would happen if he did. Harry did enjoy life enough to know going after Vernon was suicide.   
  
This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings.

Dudley had taken to shoving Harry’s head in the toilet and holding him their for as long as he could. Harry would feel his lungs constricting and would try his best to flee.  Petunia never really looked at Harry anymore. Whenever their eyes met she would sneer.  
  
Vernon continued to force more and more chores upon Harry with less and less food for him to eat. He was beginning to lose weight again which Harry knew wasn’t a good sign as he was already quite small.   
There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water.  
  
"What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question. If looks could kill Harry would be on the floor convulsing.  
  
"Your new school uniform," she said.  
  
Harry looked in the bowl again.  
  
"Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."  
  
"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia, slapping the back of his head. Hard. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."  
  
Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. He knew that if he said anything more Uncle Vernon would take the belt to him. It didn’t matter that today was Harry’s birthday.  
  
Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, looking quite displeased with the smell. Dudley then smacked Harry’s bum with his smelting’s stick. Harry said nothing and brought over Vernon’s coffee and Dudley’s breakfast. They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.  
  
"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper. Dudley looked outraged that the very idea of him getting the paper could ever happen. He poked his father. "Make Harry get it."  
  
"Get the mail, Harry." Vernon said absently. When Harry didn’t move Vernon slammed down his paper and grabbed the stick before pelting Harry’s shoulder. He yelped but got up. He walked out gulping. As he pulled up the sleeve of his over sized shirt he could see that he was going to have a very large bruise on his arm. He slowly walked toward the bills that had pilled on the door step as he reached down he was surprised to hear a knock on the door. Harry opened the door.  


A tall man was standing in the doorway. He had sandy blonde hair and a dirty suit on. He smiled down at Harry and addressed him.

“Hello there, Harry… Can you introduce me to your Aunt and Uncle? My name is Remus and I’m here to offer you a tremendous opportunity.” He said kindly, shaking Harry’s hand. Harry was dumbfounded but quickly nodded.  
The man bent down and ducked through the doorway, He followed Harry. As they walked into the kitchen the Dursley’s stopped speaking. Petunia dropped her cup and covered her mouth. Remus smiled.   
  
"It’s good to see you again Petunia, could I trouble you for a cup of tea?” Remus asked.   
  
He strode over to the table and sat down. Vernon sat frozen with fear. Petunia came over and unsteadily put the tea cup down.  
  
"Pass the sugar, please," said the stranger.  
  
Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon. Vernon didn’t seem to be doing much better. His eyes seemed to bulge as the man pulled out a stick and put it beside him on the table. Harry was smiling at this. This man must be very powerful, maybe he was Uncle Vernon’s boss? It didn’t explain the shabby suit and his stick. Petunia rushed into the kitchen and quickly made him a cup of tea. As she rushed to get it to him she breathed hard. She looked a lot like a track star, Harry thought.  
  
"Lovely tea, Petunia." said the man with another smile. He looked over at Harry with a grin. Harry looked up into the man’s face. He had light blue eyes that seemed kind.  


“I haven’t seen you since you were very young," said the man. "You have James’s unruly hair but other than that you look like Lily, those eyes… Just the same."  
  
Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise. He seemed to regain himself and slammed down his fist. He looked like a walrus flailing around.  
  
"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"  
  
"Ah, Vernon don’t worry Harry let me in," said the man. He suddenly picked up the stick again and Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on. Harry let out a small giggle and Petunia shot him a sharp glare but the man smirked at his reaction.  
  
"Anyway -- Harry," said the man, turning towards Harry, "I want to wish you a happy birthday."  
  
Harry looked up at the man. His emotions went into a tailspin and he was trying to say something when he spit out, "I’m sorry? Who are you?"  
  
The man chuckled. "My name is Professor Remus J. Lupin of history of Magic at Hogwarts."  
  
He shook Harry’s hand again. Harry was still very confused at what that meant. But he nodded  
  
"You wouldn’t mind if I made myself a little something?" he said, looking over at the hidden form of Petunia. "I am quite hungry and your kitchen looks quite bare."  
  
He stood up and began making his way into the kitchen. There was a lot of rousingly and noise and Harry was sure that he heard animal noises as well but did not dare stand up to take a look for himself as both his aunt and uncle were giving him vicious glares. Harry had no idea why as he hadn’t invited the man to the house. He had always been told to respect his elders yet the Dursleys were mad that he had let the man in.  
  
The man sat back down at the table, hands filled with plates, he had a hold of. He had made himself a full breakfast in under five minutes which should have been impossible yet here he stood with friend bacon, eggs, toast, tea, sausages, cereal, and some kind of meat  
  
He passed a full plate to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the man. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."  
  
"Call me Remus," he said, "I work at Hogwarts and am going to be your teacher this year. Of course, you know about Hogwarts.”  
  
"Er -- no," said Harry.  
  
Remus looked shocked.  
  
"Sorry," Harry said quickly.  
  
"You don’t need to be sorry Harry," Remus said quickly, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! Have you not told him about his need for schooling at all? Didn’t you think he needed to know where his mother and father learned it all?!?"  
  
"All what?" asked Harry.  
  
"ALL WHAT?" Remus thundered glaring at Vernon. Remus seemed to be gripping his little stick quite firmly, Harry thought. " Did you not tell him anything at all?"  
  
He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to dim the lights of the room. Harry thought it was just his mind but he truly thought that it had to be Remus. The Dursleys were trembling at the other end of the table.  
  
"How could you not tell him anything," he growled at the Dursleys, "How did you even speak these lies? He knows nothing."  
  
Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after all, and his marks weren't bad. He was actually a very good reader. He felt offended by the accusation. While this Hogwarts was a mystery to him he was actually quite smart. No matter how many times Petunia kept him home from school.  
  
"I know some things," he said. "I was the best reader in my class last year."  
  
Remus then turned and said, "No Harry I am sure you are quite smart, what I am speaking of is… About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Your parents' world."  
  
"What world?"  
  
Remus seemed to be on the verge of hitting Vernon. He glared at the man with darkness in his eyes. Harry had never seen his Uncle look so small, he seemed to shrink with ever passing minute.  
  
"Dursley you mean to tell me that this boy has no idea what his parents are?’   
  
Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded quite pathetic and strangled. He looked as if he were going to pass out. Remus turned wildly to look at Harry and stared at Harry.  
  
"But you have to know about your mom and dad, and of course about your brother," he said. "I mean, they're famous."  
  
"What? My -- my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?"  
  
"You have no idea at all… I thought at least he would tell you the basics of it. Make sure that you knew what you were…" Remus was muttering to himself as he grasped the sides of his head, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.  
  
"You don’t know what you are?" he said finally.  
  
Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice. He went from white to red in a matter of seconds. He grasped Harry and pulled him over towards him.  
  
"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"  
  
Remus Lupin seemed to be working very hard to keep his rage under control. He looked at Vernon with such hatred Harry could see that Vernon was losing his grip  
  
"You never told him? I can’t believe that you would sink this low Petunia. He doesn’t know about our world and his parents and brother’s?"  
  
"Kept what from me?" said Harry eagerly. He wondered if his brother was still alive. Maybe he could go and live with him. Maybe this Remus raised him. He began to think of a world were he and his brother would live together far away from the Durselys.  
  
"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic. Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror. They both exchanged horrified looks at the man speaking.  
  
"No Vernon you will not keep him from this. Lily and James would never have wanted this. You don’t get to keep him in the dark any longer," said Remus. "Harry you’re a wizard."  
  
There was silence inside the house. Only the chirping of birds and the neighbors lawnmower could be heard in the dining room.  
  
"I'm a what?" gasped Harry.  
  
"A wizard, Harry," said Remus,  siting back in his chair with a grin on his face,  he crossed his arms as Vernon and Petunia were speechless. "You’ll be quite strong. Your parents are very powerful wizards as well."  
  
Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr. H. Potter, The cupboard under the stairs, Number Four Privet Drive. He pulled out the letter and read:  
  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY  
  
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE  
  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)  
  
Dear Mr. Potter,  
  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.  
  
Yours sincerely,  
  
Minerva McGonagall,  
  
Deputy Headmistress  
  
Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, "What does it mean, this is a school?"  
  
"Yes, it’s where I work," said Remus. He then pulled out his stick and muttered something over top of his now dirty dishes. Something shot out of his stick and cleaned his plate. Harry gasped as did Dudley who had been uncharacteristically quiet. Vernon seemed to have yet another mild heart attack and Petunia turned away as if id didn’t happen since she didn’t see it.   
He then began to levitate the plates into the kitchen. Harry could not believe that this was happening. Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.  
  
"Where was I?" said Remus, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still red-faced but looking very angry, stood up.  
  
"He's not going," he said.  
  
Remus sighed.  
  
"That’s not your decision Muggle.” he said.  
  
"A what?" said Harry, interested.  
  
"A Muggle," said Remus "it's what we call nonmagical folk like them. Not all muggles are like this of course Harry. I assumed that Petunia would have grown up a bit but she seems to be She is still a petulant child."  
  
"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"  
  
"You knew?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a -- a wizard?"  
  
"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. She looked at him with her signature sneer. "Knew! Of course, we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that -- that school -- and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was -- a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!"  
  
She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years.  
  
"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as -- as -- abnormal -- and then, if you please, she went into trouble with some baron of evil and- and we got landed with you!"  
  
Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, "Wait my parents are alive? You told me they died in a car crash!"  
  
"CAR CRASH!" roared Remus, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their side of the table. "YOU TOLD HIM HIS PARENTS WERE DEAD! THAT THEY HAD DIED! HARRY GREW UP THINKING THAT HIS FAMILY WAS DEAD?!"  
  
"But why? Where are my parents if they’re not dead?" Harry asked urgently.  
  
The anger faded from Remus's face. He looked suddenly anxious. He looked over at Harry.  
  
"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me to come. I had assumed that Harry would have known. Your mother and father. Oh god, Lily and James. If they knew that you thought they were dead."  
  
He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys, but then he seemed to fill with sadness.  
  
"Well, Harry, your parents loved you so very much you must know that to start. They love you so much. Jimmy your twin brother and your little sister Rose too. They wish they could be with you..."  
  
He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with -- with a person called by the name of—Well I shouldn’t be speaking his name so casually."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Well – In the wizarding world we don’t speak his name."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"The man was very dangerous. He killed a lot of people. Including your grandparents. TO this day he is still feared by many within the wizarding world..."  
  
Harry gulped, but no words came out. This man sounded quite dangerous. He didn’t think that magic would be so bad.  
  
  
"His name is Lord Voldemort." Remus had a dark expression. "No about twenty years ago he began recruiting other wizards to follow him as they began to fight a war against the ministry, that is our form of government. He brought these people over to the dark side and they tried to seize control. What you must understand Harry is that there are those within the wizarding world who practice something known as dark magic.     
  
"Now, Your mother and father fought against the dark lord. They alongside the headmaster of the Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore tried to stop him. They believed in freedom for all. That was when You know who came after them. He wanted to send a message to your parents by trying- trying to hurt you and your brother.”   
  
Harry watched as Remus wiped his eyes.  
  
"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad, a good friend of ours named Peter the night of Halloween… You-Know-Who killed him. He was protecting you. He had been through a lot. Voldemort then tried to kill your brother Jimmy. When it hit him, the curse rebounded."  
  
"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry jumped; he had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Remus and his fists were clenched.  
  
"Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't cure, WHICH YOU WILL RECIEVE -- and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion -- asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types -- just what I expected, always knew they’d get what was coming to them--"  
  
Remus looked at Vernon with a fire in his eyes and pulled out his magic stick once more, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley -- I'm warning you -- one more word..."  
  
Vernon proved himself a coward again as he dove back towards his chair knocking his wife out of the way. Petunia was trampled by her husband and let out a shriek of pain.

  
"Thank you," said Remus, smirking at the cowering man who seemed to squeak with ever wave of the wand, Harry turned to look at Dudley who was cowering in the corner.  
  
Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them. "But what happened to Vol-, sorry -- I mean, You-Know-Who?"  
  
"Good question, Harry. If we were at Hogwarts that would be ten points to Gryffindor. You know who was a very powerful wizard who was able to manipulate many types of magic. Most wizards chose to believe that he is gone but there are a few of us who think that he may have survived.”  
  
"Mr. Lupin," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard."  
  
To his surprise, Remus gave him a warm smile. He looked over at the Dursleys and then back at him. He seemed that he was quite burdened by their presence Petunia was still not making any kind of eye contact with Harry.   
  
"Have you ever made things happen when you were scared or angry?"  
  
Harry looked into the man’s eyes. Now he came to think about it... every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry... chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach... dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow back... and the very last time Dudley had hit him, he had transported to the rough of the school? And the time he had been in the trunk of the care and then he hadn’t been. That seemed like magic.  
  
Harry gave him a small smile and nodded. Remus smiled back and patted the young boy’s shoulder. He glared at the Dursely’s once more.  
  
"See?" said Remus. "Harry Potter, you don’t have to worry about that kind of thing one bit."  
  
But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight.  
  
"Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters you’ve been sending us and he needs all sorts of rubbish -- spell books and wands and--"

“Have you been hiding letters from me?” Harry was outraged. He wanted to go to Hogwarts. He wanted to be special. Why couldn’t the Dursleys for once be nice to him. Why did they always have to make him suffer?  
  
"If he wants to go to Hogwarts then he will go to Hogwarts," growled Remus. "Lily and James wouldn’t have it any other way. He will be going to one of the greatest wizarding school in the world, and he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled--"  
  
"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.  
  
“Albus Dumbledore saved both my life and the lives of countless others. He gave me a job when I was unemployable.” Remus said very quietly. It seemed that Vernon had hit a very important part of Remus’s life. “You don’t understand how insulting your being right now so I won’t kill you,”  


The silence was palpable and Harry felt that there was really nothing left to say. He looked at Remus who smiled back at him.

  
He then offered his arm to Harry. He gave him a small smile, “Take my arm Harry.”

Harry wasn’t sure about him but he knew that whatever he was doing was better than staying with the Dursleys. He quickly nodded and took hold of the man’s arm. With a pop they vanished from the room. Petunia dropped another tea cup.

 

"I apparated just now Harry that’s why you feel as if your insides were pulled through your mouth. We are now in Muggle London. We have a bit of a walk to Diagon Alley but once we get there we can start making your purchases."  
  
Harry was trying to stay mentally calm but kept feeling fear rise within him. Harry then felt the questions coming back to him.  
  
"Um -- Remus?"  
  
"Mm?" said Remus, who was looking at all of the muggle signs. Harry tugged on his arm.  
  
"I haven't got any money -- and you heard Uncle Vernon last night... he won't pay for me to go and learn magic."  
  
"Don't worry about that," said Remus, shaking his head at the thought of the fat man. "Your parents will have taken care of it all."  
  
"But if they never have met me then why would they pay for my schooling?" Harry asked  
  
Remus looked very sad just then. He tried to smile at Harry, “Your parents love you so very much. They think you’re a great boy. They wish they could do this with you but they can’t. They told me so.”   
  
"Really they want to be here with me?"  
  
"Yes Harry more than anything in the world."  
  
"May I see your letter, Harry?" he asked.  
  
Harry took the parchment envelope out of his pocket.  
  
"Good," said Remus. "There's a list there of everything you need."  
  
Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before, and read:  
  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL o f WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY  
  
UNIFORM  
  
First-year students will require:  
  
1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
  
2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
  
3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
  
4\. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)  
  
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags  
  
COURSE BOOKS  
  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
  
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk  
  
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
  
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling  
  
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch  
  
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore  
  
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander  
  
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble  
  
OTHER EQUIPMENT  
  
1 wand  
  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
  
1 set of glass or crystal phials  
  
1 telescope set  
  
1 brass scales  
  
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad  
  
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS  
  
"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud.  
  
"If you know where to go," said Remus in a mysterious kind of way.  
  
Harry had never been to London before. He hadn’t even been outside of his neighborhood in Surrey. It was incredible all of the people. They made their way across streets and into buildings. Harry was shocked by these sights.  
  
"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops.  
  
"This is it," said Remus, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's very well known within the wizarding world."  
  
It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Remus hadn't pointed it out, Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and Remus could see it. Before he could mention this, Remus had steered him inside.  
  
For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter continued when they walked in. The bartender looked up, saying, "Hello there, Remus!"  
  
"Hello, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Remus, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle.  
  
"Hello there," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "First time at Hogwarts son?"  
  
The Leaky Cauldron had continued on as Remus chatted with the bar man. A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.  
  
"Professor Quirrell!" said Remus. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."  
  
"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."  
  
"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?” Harry asked curiously.  
  
"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.  
  
"Well we’ll be off then. A lot to buy on his first trip." Remus said. Tom waved happily and they continued on into a empty courtyard. Remus, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.  


He muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry."  
  
He tapped the wall three times with the point of his wand.  
  
The brick he had touched quivered -- it wriggled -- in the middle, a small hole appeared -- it grew wider and wider -- a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Remus, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.  
  
"Welcome," said Remus, "to Diagon Alley."  
  
He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.  
  
He looked around in awe as he saw shops lining the street. People dressed in robes walked and chatted in front of them. Harry began to walk towards a shop with books in it’s window before Remus pulled him back.  
  
"Sorry Harry," said Remus, "But before we do anything we have to visit your vault."  
  
As they walked, Harry tried to absorb all of it. He could see multiple animals that looked odd and he saw a broom in the window of one of the shops.   
  
They finally came upon a towering building that had huge white pillars. They had reached the gates of the building. Standing beside its bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was a funny looking creature He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:  
  
Enter, stranger, but take heed  
  
Of what awaits the sin of greed,  
  
For those who take, but do not earn,  
  
Must pay most dearly in their turn.  
  
So if you seek beneath our floors  
  
A treasure that was never yours,  
  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
  
Of finding more than treasure there.  
  
"It’s a warning Harry, Goblins tend to deal with thieves in a very unpleasant way," said Remus. They walked throught the doors into a large hallway lined with desks that had more goblins sat upon them. They had stacks of gold and silver coins and seemed to be conversing in a different language.  
  
"Good Morning Sir," said Remus to a free goblin. "We wish to take money from Mr. Potter’s vault."  
  
"You have his key, sir?"  
  
"Yes I do have it," said Remus, He quickly dug into his suit pocket and pulled out a small golden key. It had the letter’s HP engraved on it with circles around it. It looked quite expensive to Harry who had never had anything of such value attributed to him in his life.  
  
"Here it is," said Remus, handing it over to the goblin.  
  
The goblin looked at it closely. He rolled in in his had and seemed to smirk. He looked at Harry and felt quite unsettled. "That seems to be in order. I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"  
  
Griphook was yet another goblin. Unlike the goblin at the desk he had darker hair and seemed to have a spring in his step.  
  
"What do the goblin’s eat?" Harry asked.  
  
"I’m not sure," said Remus, giving Harry a confused look. Griphook held the door open for them. Harry was happy to see that they got to go on a train cart. He had always wanted to go with Dudley to the fair but his aunt and Uncle had no interest in letting him attend. Hey climbed in. The cart was racing down the depth caverns at a fast speed. The cart stopped, the goblin clamberd out.

 

“Vault 687. Lamp, please.” He said in a bored tone. Remus handed him the lamp and he walked to the vault

“Key please.” Remus handed him the key and he unlocked it. The room was filled nearly top to bottom with coins. Harry was amazed. He looked over at Remus with excited eyes.

“This vault was created by your parents after you were born. Your older brother Jimmy is considered the heir to the family fortune but you still get an allowance as a member of the Potter family.” Remus explained. Harry nodded, thinking about his brother and parents. Did they want to meet him? Would they like him? He shook his head and continued back to the surface. 

Remus explained that he had some errands to run himself and that he couldn’t help Harry through all of his list. Harry nodded.

  
"You go into Madam Malkin’s and get your robes and continue down the list,” said Remus, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "I’ll be around for you later, aright then?."

Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous. Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.  
  
"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here -- another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."  
  
In the back of the shop, a boy with platinum blonde hair and grey eyes stood standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length.  
  
"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"  
  
"Yes," said Harry.  
  
"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to took at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."  
  
Harry wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say. He didn’t know much about anything so how was he supposed to answer him.  
  
"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.  
  
"No," said Harry, blushing. He felt like he was lower class to this boy.  
  
"Play Quidditch at all?"  
  
"No," Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.  
  
"I do -- Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"  
  
"No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute. This boy knew so much already and he had no idea what houses were. He felt so awkward with the way this boy was talking.  
  
"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been -- imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"  
  
"Mmm," said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting. He figured if he just seemed disinterested then he wouldn’t seem stupid.  
  
"Where are your parents?" He asked with a bit of curiosity in his voice.  
  
"Never met them," said Harry shortly. Which was technically true even if it was a bit of a fib.

"Oh, sorry," said the boy with a bit of a blush on his face, he seemed embarrassed. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"  
  
"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean." Harry wondered if there were people who had muggles for parents.   
  
"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?" Harry began to panic. What if they brought up his brother. Harry didn’t even know his family.  
   
But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.  
  
"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the blonde boy. Harry wasn’t really looking forward to it. Harry found Remus and they went to a place known as Flourish and Blotts. It was filled with books on all sorts of stuff. He managed to convince Remus to get him a couple extra books. The Dursleys had never allowed him books so it was quite exciting. They next went to a small place that had cauldrons were Harry bought his. As they continued to check things off of his list he found that the last big item was one of the most interesting.  


“I still need...a wand.” He looked up at Remus with a smile. “A wand? Well, Ollivanders is the best no doubt. You go ahead there, get your wand. I just got one more thing I got to do. Won't be long.”

Remus grinned at him before rushing off. Harry walked towards the old looking shop. As he pushed open the heavy door He did not see anyone. Harry walked into the store, quietly. He looked around. There are shelves of boxes, but no people. It was quite unnerving.

“Hello? Hello?” Harry said quietly. There is a thump. A man appeared on a ladder and looked at Harry. He smiled. He had long white hair that stuck out from his head as if he had been electrocuted. He also had strange, hawk like eyes.

 

 

“I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Potter. It seems only yesterday that your mother and father were in here buying their first wands. And only a few years ago they collected a wand for your brother Jimmy,” He said with a smile. He picked a wand out from a box. He looked to be examining it. He finally appeared to deicide.

“Ah. Here we are.” Mr. Ollivander handed Harry the wand. Harry held it but just stood there, unsure of what he was supposed to do. Ollivander scowled at him, “Well, give it a wave!”

“Oh!” Harry said. He waved the wand wildly. All the shelves to his right came crashing down. Harry jumped and hurriedly put the wand back on the counter, looking sheepishly up at a flabbergasted Ollivander.

“Apparently not.” He said with a far off look in his eye. He took hold another wand, much shorter with a light wood. “Perhaps this.”

He gave the wand to Harry. Harry waved it at a vase, which blows apart. Again, Ollivander took it back with a look of dismay. “No, no, definitely not! No matter...”

For the next hour, Harry tried wand after wand. Again and again they failed him. It seemed that with each wand Ollivander got happier and happier. He began to giggle when they failed Harry. Harry found this annoying and was wondering if he even had the right kind of magic. He could just see Remus dropping him off at the Dursleys and saying that he couldn’t go to Hogwarts.

Ollivander finally pulled out an old moldy wand box. He looked at it with doubt, “I wonder...”

He handed the wand to Harry. The second it touched his hand he was filled with a feeling of joy. His heart lifted and he knew that he had found the right wand. He looked over to see that Ollivander seemed rather displeased.

“Curious, very curious.” The old man whispered looking at the wand. Harry was shocked. Ollivander had seemed to be overjoyed with the challenge but now that Harry had his wand he seemed to be rather upset.

“Sorry, but what's curious?” Harry asked hesitantly. Ollivander turned to him with a hard look in his eye, “I have made many wands Mr. Potter, over many years. But this wand, this wand was made by another. He sells wands of a much darker origin. This wand is made from yew and it’s core is a Dementor’s heart string.”

“And... Is that a very bad thing?” Harry asked. He didn’t want everyone thinking that he was some mean person like Uncle Vernon. Ollivander gave him a glance, then smiled again. “Oh, I believe only time can tell for you. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter. It's not always clear why, but I think it is clear that we can expect great things from you. You see great doesn’t mean good, for there have been some very bad wizards who have done great things, terrible! But great. Do not make me regret selling you this wand Mr. Potter.”

Harry quickly paid and left the store. He found Remus with his Birthday gift. A White Owl who he named Hedwig. They ended the day with a calm supper at the Leaky Cauldron.  The two, Remus and Harry, had been sat a long table, eating soup. Harry had said thank you to Remus quietly but other than that hadn’t spoken since Ollivanders.

“Are you alright, Harry? You seem very quiet. If something is bothering you then you can talk to me about it?” Remus asked with a concerned look on his face.

“Why didn’t my parents keep me? Was I not… what they wanted? Please Remus I want to know.” Harry asked with a sad look on his face. Remus sighed and pushed his bowl of soup away. He had not wanted to discuss this with Harry. He wished Lily and James could explain why they hadn’t been able to keep both sons.

“First, and understand this, Harry, because it's very important. Your parents love you very much. They’re first and foremost devoted to your personally safety. One of the main reasons that they weren’t able to be with you is that the Dark Lord had agents searching for twin boys. By separating you it was Albus Dumbledore’s idea that it would be harder to track you.” Remus explained. Harry nodded but wasn’t satisfied with the idea.

“But- why didn’t they visit or write to me? I-I thought they were dead.” Harry asked as tears clouded his vision. Remus grimaced at the sight. He felt all the air come out of his lungs at the sight of the boy. How was he supposed to tell him that he was his godfather? How was he supposed to explain that he failed him?

“It-It’s difficult Harry.” Remus began, “We knew that you’d be safe at your Aunt’s and we assumed that they would have explained these things to you. We had hoped for better Harry, we really did, but sometimes that doesn’t happen.”

Harry nodded again. The explanation didn’t make him feel any better and the idea that his brother got to grow up with his parents and he didn’t was unfair. This Jimmy boy was probably a good wizard already. He tried to swallow all of the Jealously that was flooding into him but he found that it just made him feel even more bitter. He would always be an outsider because of this and there was nothing he could do. As they finished their dinner Harry was silent again.

As they apparated back to Surrey, Harry had a melancholy feeling in his chest. What would he do when he met his brother? He tried to stop asking himself questions as they just made he feel worse. Remus dragged his trunk filled with supplies up to the door. He patted Harry on the shoulder awkwardly and left.

 

  * ▬▬▬▬๑۩۩๑▬▬▬▬▬●



 

Remus stumbled from Dumbledore’s fireplace. He was greeted to the sight of his husband Sirius, his best friends Lily and James and his mentor Albus. They all looked at him expectantly. He took a seat and let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding in. He looked over at Lily who was on the brink of tears.

“Remus,” She said quietly, “What was he like?”

“He was very kind and polite.” He said, pausing as to find the right words, “The Dursleys… they never- they never told him about magic-“

“WHAT! What do you mean they never told him about magic?” James shot out of his seat. Lily grabbed ahold of his arm and Albus held up his hand as if to signify an end to the out burst.

“They- they said that you two had died in a car crash.” Remus gulped as his friend looked ready to burst at the seams. Sirius also was beginning to turn red. Albus had lost the twinkle in his eyes.

“But- he was loved? Tooney loved him? She didn’t-“ Lily broke off as she let out a small sob. James took a hold of her and looked at Dumbledore, “Can’t he come home to us now Albus, he is our boy… it’s been too long.”

Albus gave his former student a small smile, “James you must know that Harry is safest at your sister in law’s. Though maybe when the school year begins you and Lily can come and visit him on weekends. I still believe that summers would be best spent at the Dursley home but I do not wish to Deprive young Harry of a relationship with his Family.”

Lily nodded and smiled, “Of course Albus whatever you think would be best.”

Albus smiled at the four. He had grown quite close to his students. With Sirius being the Head Hit Wizard now, he had a lot of sway with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. As did James. He had been made Deputy Head of the Auror’s office.

Lily had always been a favourite of his and her master of charms had only made her more impressive. He had rather enjoyed these last few years. He was known as ‘Grandpa Albus’ to Jimmy and Rose as well as Orion. He had been preparing for war for a long time. He knew this peace wouldn’t last.

Harry Potter posed a problem to the world Albus had created. If he didn’t fit in to the mainstream he would be dealt with in a way that would make everyone happy. If he didn’t fit in with his brother Jimmy at Hogwarts then perhaps he could be sent to another school. Far away.

 

  * ▬▬▬▬๑۩۩๑▬▬▬▬▬●



 

**Let me know what you think.**

 


	2. Chapter 2

Harry's last month with the Dursleys was far from an enjoyable experience. While they had given him Dudley’s second bedroom it had been, dirty and disgusting. Harry spent most of his time on his bed reading. He still had to make the Dursleys breakfast, lunch and dinner but the idea that he was done with them was wrong.  
  
Harry stayed out of sight. For both his sake and his Uncle’s. He knew that his Uncle wouldn’t be happy if he flaunted his books around so they never left the room. He watched as Dudley got ready to go to Smeltings and saw his extended family truly happy. He had never felt that before. Most days in august he spent in the garden. Then he would retire with a small amount of food and read about magic. He had found out that he technically couldn’t do magic outside of school. But he had learned that some forms of magic weren’t registered by the ministry. He had kept looking at the designs on his ancient rune book in awe.  While he had no magical experience he still tried to study. He thought that if he did well enough that he might be able to come home. To his parents.  
  
On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so he went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.  
  
"Er -- Uncle Vernon?"  
  
Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.  
  
"Er -- I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to -- to go to Hogwarts."  
  
Uncle Vernon grunted again.  
  
"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"  
  
Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.  
  
"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"  
  
Harry didn't say anything. Harry smirked at the idea of flying there on a carpet. Then he thought of Uncle Vernon on a magic carpet and he had to really keep from laughing.  
  
"Where is this school, anyway?"  
  
"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled the ticket Remus had given him out of his pocket.  
  
"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," he read.  
  
His aunt and uncle stared.  
  
"Platform what?"  
  
"Nine and three-quarters."  
  
"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."  
  
"It's on my ticket."  
  
"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother. And don’t think you can just come right home afterword’s either."  
  
"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.  
  
"Taking Dudley up to get some supplies," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to get some more stuff before he goes to Smeltings."  
  
Harry woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes -- he'd change on the train. He checked his Hogwarts list yet again and again. He kept thinking that he had missed something. Finally his family woke up and he made them breakfast. He then carried his own heavy luggage into the trunk of the car. Vernon and Petunia just continued to give him this look  
  
They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. Harry thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.  
  
"Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine -- platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they? I guess that you’ll have to wait there until they do. Hope you brought lunch."  
  
He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all. Harry was filled with a cold sense of dread. Was all of this a lie? Had this been some big joke that the Dursleys had arranged? He tried to hold back his tears.  
  
"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing. Harry's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. He'd have to ask someone.  
  
He stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Harry was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. Harry was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl.  
  
Remus must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should get out his wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.  
  
At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.  
  
"-- packed with Muggles, Disgusting filthy creatures--"  
  
Harry swung round. The speaker was a tall man dressed in fancy black robes who was talking a woman he assumed was his wife. She had long blonde hair and was holding the shoulder of the boy Harry had met from the Robes shop.

Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying. But he kept his distance.  
  
"Now, are you ready to go Draco?" said the boys' mother in a very sweet tone.  
  
"Narcissa. Stop babying the boy in public! I have colleagues around here that will see this and question my parenting,” The woman seemed to straighten up and patted her son "You're right dear, I’ll be quiet. All right, Draco, you go on."  
  
The blonde boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he miss it. He saw the boy pick up speed and come closer and closer to the brick wall. Then, quite suddenly, the boy had vanished. His parents went after him and they vanished as well.  
  
He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid. He worried that this was still all just a prank and that he’d just run into the wall and hurt himself.  
  
He started to walk toward it. Almost everyone avoided this small path. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble -- leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run -- the barrier was coming nearer and nearer -- he wouldn't be able to stop -- the cart was out of control -- he was a foot away -- he closed his eyes ready for the crash --  
  
It didn't come... he kept on running... he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock. He couldn’t believe that he was actually here. He looked over to see all of the families and wondered if his was there as well.

  
Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. Harry watched as they hugged and cried.  
  
The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Mom, I've lost my toad again."  
  
"Oh, Neville," he heard the boy’s father sigh.  
  
A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.  
  
"Give us a look, Lee, go on."  
  
The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.  
  
Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot. He cried out and he felt a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Want a hand?" The boy who stood in front of him was quite tall. He had curly blonde hair and light blue eyes. He smiled at Harry.  
  
"Yes, please," Harry panted.  
  
"Alright just give me a minute."  
  
With the boy's help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.  
  
"Thanks," said Harry, smiling up at the boy.   


"Hello there, I’m Cedric what’s your name?" said the boy.  
  
"Oh sorry!" said Harry. "I’m Harry,"  
  
"What are you doing on this platform alone?" said Cedric to a very nervous looking  Harry..  
“My relatives aren’t a huge fan of magic, so they just dropped me off outside.” Harry squeaked with discomfort.   


"Oh, I’m sorry," said Cedric. "I have to go now, hope you have a first good train ride!"  
  
He ran back to his parents shooting Harry a smile. Harry sat down in an empty compartment. As he was spying out of the compartment his heart dropped. He saw a man who looked similar to him, and a woman who had bright red hair and green eyes, as well as two children. He hid to the side of the window.  
  
"I can’t believe that Jimmy is going! I just can’t!” The woman said, tears in her eyes.  
The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and hugged him tightly.  
  
"Mom – stop it! I don’t want people to see," He wriggled free.  
  
"I think you should keep crying Lily, Jimmy really seems to be enjoying this," said the father.  
  
"Shut up," said Jimmy, rolling his eyes at his dad.  
  
“Oh I do hope I packed enough," said their mother.  
  
"Lily stop worrying."  
  
"I’ll be going now mom," he said. "I’m going to go see Ron, I don’t know where he is.”   
  
"Oh, don’t think your family is cool enough?" said his father with a gleam in his eye. "Oh well we were going to buy you a new broom."  
  
"Hang on, we aren’t cool enough it seems," said his mother with a laugh.    
  
"Oh, shut up you guys aren’t funny," said Jimmy.  
  
"How come I can’t go, anyway?" said the little red headed girl in a whining voice.  
  
"Because he's eleven," said their mother fondly. "And your only nine years old darling, wait then you’ll be able to go."  
  
She kissed Jimmy on the cheek and he  turned away.   
  
"Now, you -- this year, you behave yourself. You are not going to follow in your father’s footsteps and light Professor Snape on fire--"  
  
"Set Professor Snape on fire? Great idea though, thanks, Mom."  
  
"It's not funny! Professor Snape is a good friend of mine and he’s Rose’s godfather!"  
  
"Don't worry, I wont mom."  
  
"And- and look after Harry, would you?"  
  
Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking. He didn’t want to see what happened next.  
  
"He won’t know anything at all, darling so make sure you- you protect him from bullies and--"  
  
"Lily he’ll be alright if he survived your sister…"  
  
"James that does not make me feel better!"  
  
Harry felt his heart fill with joy as they mentioned him. Maybe they really cared. He pictured them at Christmas. Harry filled with glee at the prospect.  
  
"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, eh please..."  
  
"No Rose! We don’t want to overwhelm him, just try to help him fit in Jimmy, he is your little brother."  
  
"I know Mom, I hope he wants to be friends, having a little brother has always been my dream, sorry Rose but you suck at Quidditch."  
  
"Poor dear – James you think he got here alright? You don’t think Petunia wouldn’t let him go?"  
  
"Never mind that, He’ll be alright I expect, try not to worry so much love."  
  
  
A whistle sounded.  
  
"Hurry up!" the mother said, and the young boy clambered onto the train. He leaned out of the window for his mother and father to kiss him good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.  
  
Harry watched the girl and her parents, his parents, disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to -- but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.  
  
The door of the compartment slid open and Jimmy Potter came in.  
  
"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Don’t really want to be anywhere too crowded."  
  
Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Jimmy and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry kept looking out the window. The door slid open and a red headed boy came in, his face lit up at the sight of Jimmy. Harry guessed they were friends already.  
  
"Hey, Ron."  
  
"Hey Jimmy! Finally, I’ve been looking all over for you! Who’s this?" The red head named Ron motioned to Harry. They bot looked at him expectantly  
  
"M’ names Harry," mumbled Harry.  
  
"Harry," said his twin, he gazed at him with mirth, "did we introduce ourselves? My name is Jimmy Potter and this is my friend Ron Weasley. It’s nice to meet you."  
  
"Hi," said Harry to Ron. There was silence for about ten minutes before Ron broke it quite suddenly.  
  
"Are you really Harry Potter and you grew up with muggles and you never met your family?" Ron blurted out.  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"Oh -- well,  uhm sorry if that was rude," said Ron. Jimmy smiled.   
  
"I’m so happy you’re here Harry, I’ve known about you for ages but I wasn’t aloud to really talk about it, I hope we can be friends and maybe get to be really close!" Jimmy chattered. Harry’s eyes widened comically at this.  
  
"Yes," said Harry, "Uhh I would like to be friends as well."  
  
"Really?" said Ron eagerly.  
  
"Well – yes, I-I would like to be-I don’t know brothers?” He said awkwardly. He didn’t know how to say it.  
  
"Wow," said Jimmy with his eyes alight with happiness. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments. He then launched into stories about growing up.  
  
"Wow, so what’s it like being a wizard?" asked Harry, who found his twin brother so very interesting.   
  
"Well—It’s pretty good I’d reckon," said Jimmy, frowning slightly. "Though I don’t know what it’s like to be a muggle so I wouldn’t know if it was bad."  
  
"So you must know loads of magic already." Harry said with gloom prevalent in his expression. He was going to be the dumbest person in his class.  
  
  
  
"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Jimmy. "What are they like?"  
  
"Horrible -- well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd been able to live with you."  
  
"Oh sorry," said Jimmy. He looked embarrassed, his parents had told him that after Voldemort had attacked him it had been safer to send Harry away. "I-I hope that you’ll be able to come to Christmas, and Mom said that she was coming up on weekends so that she and Dad could meet you! You may even get to meet Rose, though she’s nothing special."  
  
Harry nodded and they lapsed into silence. Jimmy seemed to be itching to talk again. He and Ron talked about something called Quidditch which Harry thought sounded weird.  
  
"What does Quidditch even mean," said Harry, both Ron and Jimmy looked at him as if he asked what a book was, "Sorry I just don’t know. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn... I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."  
  
"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough.” Jimmy tried to cheer him up. Harry nodded weakly and they tried to explain the many rules to the game. They began explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games they had seen and talking about the best kinds of brooms. Harry tried to follow but found that it was too much information.  While they had been talking, the train had zoomed into the country, Harry thought it looked very impressive. He let his eye’s closes slowly and was awoken by a great clattering outside in the corridor. Harry turned to see a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"  
  
Harry was very hungry and was ready to buy. He had never had any money for candy or really any food with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as much as he could. But when he walked into the Hallway he was shocked to see that there weren’t any of the candies Harry had seen Dudley eating. All of the packaging was so strange. Jimmy came out and tapped him on the shoulder. Harry hadn’t realized how much taller his brother was. He was at least a head taller than Harry.   
  
"Hungry, are you?" He said with a kind smile.  
  
"Starving," said Harry, looking at all of the packages.  
  
Jimmy nodded and started grabbing stuff, He turned to Harry and gave him another big smile and said, "You go back in and I’ll grab some stuff for all of us.."  
  
"You don’t have to do that," said Harry, hastily, he didn’t want his brother to think he was an idiot. "I’ll get stuff you --"  
  
"Don’t worry Harry," said Jimmy. "I’ll tell you all about these thing," he added quickly, "You know, so you can grab them for yourself next time."  
  
"Oh alright," said Harry. He really didn’t know what to say. Jimmy seemed quite nice and so did Ron. He quite enjoyed himself as they explained what was what.  
  
"What are these?" Harry asked Ron who was unlike Jimmy, didn’t have his mouth full. He was holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.  
  
"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know -- Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect -- famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."  
  
Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.  
  
"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Jimmy said. "He’s only the most important wizard of all time --"  
  
Harry turned over his card and read:  
  
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE  
  
CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS  
  
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling. Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.  
  
"He's gone!"  
  
"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her... do you want it? You can start collecting."  
  
Harry shrugged. He really didn’t have much of an interest in collecting things. Dudley had collected football cards but they had gotten ripped and torn. Harry thought it was a useless hobby.   
  
"Yeah Mr. Lupin told me about him," said Harry.   
  
"Wait you met Uncle Remus?" Jimmy sounded amazed. "Did you get to meet Uncle Sirius!"  
  
Harry shook his head and became quite again. He munched on a Liquorish wand which he thought was quite good. He stayed silent for most of their conversation as he really had very little to add. Every once in a while, he would ask a question. Jimmy was very nice and tried his best  to answer all of his questions.   
  
"Apparently you should avoid Filtch," Ron warned Harry. "That’s what my brother’s tell me. They said he hung them by their thumbs in the dungeons, thought I don’t know if I believe them. Fred and George take the mickey out of me all the time."  
  
Jimmy was eating Bertie Bots every flavor Beans when he turned to Harry.  
"Dad says that we should watch out for Snape, but Mom said that we just have to be respectful and He’ll be nice. He takes Rose and Mom out on trips when Dad and I go to Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus’s house."  
  
Harry kept hearing all of these names that he knew nothing about. How was he supposed to understand if he didn’t even know these people? They were supposed to be his family. He said nothing and just let Ron and Jimmy talk. There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful.  
  
"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"  
  
When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"  
  
"He'll turn up," said Jimmy said to the boy with a charming smile.  
  
"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him..."  
  
He left.  
  
"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."  
  
The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap. Harry looked at the disgusting creature and tried not to sneer. How could Ron want that thing near him? He had no idea.  
  
He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.  
  
"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway--"  
  
He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.  
  
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.  
  
"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.  
  
"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."  
  
She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.  
  
"Er -- all right."  
  
He cleared his throat.  
  
"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,  
  
Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."  
  
He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.  
  
"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard -- I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough -- I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"  
  
She said all this very fast. Harry found her quite annoying. He hadn’t asked for her to come in and interrupt him and yet he tried to keep the annoyance of his face.  
  
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.  
  
"Harry Potter," said Harry.

“My name is Jimmy Potter, well actually it’s James Fleamont Potter but everyone calls me Jimmy,” Jimmy said.   
  
"Are you really?" said Hermione almost jumped. "I know all about you, of course -- I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

Jimmy laughed, “Alright then, probably should read those books if I’m in them.”  
  
"you are?" said Harry, feeling dazed. He knew that Jimmy had done something important but he was shocked to hear that he was that famous.  
  
"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."  
  
And she left, taking the toadless boy with her. Harry wasn’t surprised the chubby little boy didn’t get a word in.  
  
"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Harry.

 "Stupid spell -- George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud." Ron said throwing his wand to the ground.  
  
"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry with interest. He hadn’t heard that there were houses.  
  
"Gryffindor," said Ron. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."  
  
"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Jimmy, trying to take Ron's mind off houses.  Ron smiled a bit and Jimmy chatted away.

"So what do your- I mean our- well parents do for work, anyway?"  


Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school. Jimmy smiled  
  
"Well Dad is the Deputy head of the Auror’s office, he makes sure that dark wizards are caught," said Jimmy. "And well Mom is a charms master. She had to study under some old guy for like ten years before she was considered a master, or well I guess a mistress because she’s a girl."  
  
Harry stared. That sounded impressive. If he didn’t do well in school he’d probably be send back to the Dursleys.  
  
"Hey Jimmy? Did you here about that break in at Gringotts? What did you Dad say, what did they take?" Ron asked. Harry turned to his brother with interest.  
  
"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get around Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it." Jimmy let out a shutter at the thought of the dark wizard who gave him the scar.  
  
Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.  
   
They lapsed into silence for a bit when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.  
  
Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop, the one he had seen cross through the barrier at platform nine and three quarters first. He was looking at Jimmy with a lot more interest than he'd shown Harry back in Diagon alley.  
  
"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Jimmy Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"  
  
"Yes," said Jimmy. He looked at the boy with no expression. Harry was looking at the huge fat kids standing behind the blonde. They looked like they could be two or even three years older than him. Harry shuddered at the thought.  
  
"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."  
  
Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.  
  
"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."  
  
He turned back to Jimmy. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."  
  
He held out his hand to shake Jimmy's, but Jimmy didn't take it.  
  
"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly. Harry was shocked by this turn of events. Why did they have to be so dramatic. Harry personally was just happy to have a quiet afternoon before they went to Hogwarts.  
  
Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks. He didn’t seem to have thought that was coming  
  
"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll might end up in a very sticky situation. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys, and it'll rub off on you."  
  
Both Jimmy and Ron stood up. Harry kept in his seat. He didn’t know what was the point in fighting these boys. They were bigger and looked meaner.  
  
"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.  
  
"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.  
  
"Unless you get out now," said Jimmy bravely, He looked at them with steely eyes.   
  
"But we don't feet like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."  
  
Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron -- Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.  
  
Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle -- Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.  
  
"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.  
  
"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Jimmy. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No -- I don't believe it -- he's gone back to sleep."  
  
And so he had. Harry sat back down after the ruckus.  
  
"You've met Malfoy before?"  
  
Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.  
  
"I've heard of his family," said Jimmy darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."

Ron looked annoyed by Hermione’s presence. "Can we help you with something?"  
  
"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"  
  
"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"  
  
"All right -- I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"  
  
Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.  
  
He, Jimmy, and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.  
  
A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."  
  
Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. Jimmy seemed to be more excited than nervous. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.  
  
The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a booming voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Jimmy?"  
  
"C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"  
  
Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice. Jimmy whispered quietly that the big man was very nice and that he shouldn’t worry at all because Hagrid was kind.  
  
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."  
  
There was a loud "Oooooh!"  
  
The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. Harry felt the breath leaves his lungs and looked up in awe  
  
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry watched in vain as Jimmy and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione. Jimmy looked over at Harry and mouth a quick sorry. Harry quickly found a boat with two girls and a boy in it. The boy had a short brown hair and a thin mouth. He smiled slightly as Harry sat beside him.  
  
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then -- FORWARD!"  
  
And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. Harry found out the boy sitting next to him was named Theodore Nott, or Theo he said. They talked about how excited they were to start lessons and how they had path read ahead in their books.  
  
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. Harry and Theo thought that the underground was incredible.  
  
"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.  
  
"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.  
  
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.  
  
"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"  
  
Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.  
  
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.  
  
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."  
  
She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was huge. Harry had never been inside a castle and was surprised to see that it was warm. The light flooded all around them and they saw paintings lining the walls of the castle. They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor.  
  
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.  
  
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.  
  
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."  
  
Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair.  
  
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."  
  
She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.  
  
"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Theo.  
  
"Some sort of test, I think. My Aunt wouldn’t tell me because it would ruin the surprise of it."  
  
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."  
  
Professor McGonagall had returned.  "Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."  
  
Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to jelly, Harry got into line behind Ron and Jimmy in front and beside him was some other first year, while Theo and that Hermione girl behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.  
  
Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Hermione whisper, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."  
  
It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens. He thought that it was the most astonishing thing he had seen yet.  
  
Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house. His Uncle might have burned it.  
  
Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth -- and the hat began to sing:  
  
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
  
But don't judge on what you see,  
  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
  
A smarter hat than me.  
  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
  
And I can cap them all.  
  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
  
So try me on and I will tell you  
  
Where you ought to be.  
  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
  
Where they are just and loyal,  
  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
  
And unafraid of toil;  
  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind,  
  
Where those of wit and learning,  
  
Will always find their kind;  
  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
  
You'll make your real friends,  
  
Those cunning folk use any means  
  
To achieve their ends.  
  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
  
And don't get in a flap!  
  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"  
  
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.  
  
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Theo whispered to Harry. "That’s a relief I’ll say.”

 Harry smiled. He also was happy that there wasn’t some big test for them to complete.  
  
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.  
  
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"  
  
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause --  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.  
  
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.  
  
"Bones, Susan!"  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.  
  
"Boot, Terry!"  
  
"RAVENCLAW!"  
  
The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.  
  
"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.  
  
"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked like an unpleasant lot.  
  
He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school. He had always been last to be chosen, not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.  
  
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!"  
  
Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.  
  
"Granger, Hermione!"  
  
Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned in front of Harry and jimmy slapped his friend.  
  
When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."  
  
Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"  
  
Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.  
  
There weren't many people left now. "Moon"..., "Nott" His new friend went to Slytherin with glee..., "Parkinson"..., then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"..., then "Perks, Sally-Anne"..., and then, at last – “Potter, James!”

As Jimmy stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.  
  
"Potter, did she say?"  
  
"The Jimmy Potter?"

His brother went to the stool and sat down. While the hat was on him he was frowning. Minutes went by and Harry was beginning to worry. Finally it called out Gryffindor. Jimmy smiled and waved to Harry. He was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"  
  
"Potter, Harry!"  
Everyone seemed to be reeling from his brother sorting that they didn’t seem all that interested in him. He walked shakily up the steps and sat. the sorting had was dropped on his head.e walk  
  
"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. So very different from your family I see. Not raised by your parents eh? Well then this is so very different from the others."  
  
Harry gripped the edges of the stool. He had no idea where he would be placed.  
  
"Not sure, eh?" said the small voice. "Well neither am I… Not enough courage for Gryffindor that’s for sure. And not quite Loyal to anyone but himself. No not enough ambition for Slytherin. Well as there are no other’s left better be Ravenclaw!"  
  
Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Ravenclaw table. His Brother and Ron both gave him thumbs up and he saw Theo smile at him as well. He was a but disappointed that he wouldn’t be in the same house as his friends but he was glad that Ravenclaw was the house of learners.  
  
"Mr. Potter, excellent," said the Prefect for Ravenclaw Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.  
  
Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.  
  
Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.  
  
"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!  
  
"Thank you!"  
  
He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.  
  
"Is he -- a bit mad?" he asked the girl uncertainly.  
  
"Mad?" said girl airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry? By the way I’m Penelope Clearwater, prefect."  
  
Harry's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.  
  
The Dursleys starved Harry, he hadn’t been aloud out when they had big meals like for Christmas and New Years. Harry watched as numerous ghosts came pouring from the walls, sailing along. He was in awe of this. He ate fasty as the food was quite tasty. He tried many different kinds of food that he had never had before. He learned that the boys in his Dorm were Anthony, Terry and two others.

Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.  
  
"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Penelope.  
  
"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to -- everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."  
  
Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again.  
  
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.  
  
"Ahem -- just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.  
  
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."  
  
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.  
  
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.  
  
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."  
  
Harry didn’t laugh, but a few did. Such an odd thing to say.  
  
"He's not serious?" he muttered to Penelope.  
  
"Must be," said Penelope, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere -- the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that."  
  
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.  
  
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.  
  
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"  
  
And the school bellowed:  
  
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
  
Teach us something please,  
  
Whether we be old and bald  
  
Or young with scabby knees,  
  
Our heads could do with filling  
  
With some interesting stuff,  
  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
  
Bring back what we've forgot, just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
  
And learn until our brains all rot."  
  
Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only two red headed boys who Harry guessed were the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.  
  
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"  
  
The Ravenclaw first years followed Penelope through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Harry's legs were like jelly again. Penelope was explaining how to get to Ravenclaw Tower and how a ghost names Peeves hung out around it sometimes.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Penelope, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."  
  
At the very end of the corridor was a door with an eagle knocker.  
  
"You can see me in water but I never get wet, what am I?" it said.   
  
"A Reflection," said Penelope, and the door swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. As they went through it Penelope explained that to get into Ravenclaw common room you had to answer a riddle.

Harry entered to see the Ravenclaw common room, it was quite airy. It was a wide, circular room with arched windows hung with blue and bronze silks and a midnight blue carpet covered in stars, which is reflected onto the domed ceiling.

The room was furnished with tables, chairs, and bookcases; and by the door leading up to the dormitories stood a tall statue of Harry could only assume to be Rowena Ravenclaw made of white marble.  
Penelope directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase -- they were obviously in one of the towers -- they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with light blue, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.   
  
Harry was going to talk to the other boys in his house, but he fell asleep almost at once.  
  



End file.
